O papel representado pelo muar, na economía nacional, através da historia, foi de marcada importancia. Sem a sua contribuicáo, tendo em vista, principalmente, a reconhecida capacidade que possui, de transportar cargas diversas a distancias excepcionalmente grandes, muito do que foi alcancado, na criacáo de riquezas, jamais teria sido possível obter. Durante mais de século e meio, desde o descobrimento das minas auríferas, ao entardecer do século XVII, até a alvorada da era ferroviaria, em 1867, sua colaboracáo foi de marcante relêvo.

De início, atendeu ao abastecimento dos varios pontos de mineracáo no territorio nacional, suprindo-os de víveres e mercadorias de consumo, e o que mais necessário fósse. Depois, propiciou o desenvolvimento da producáo acucareira paulista, nao apenas para o abastecimento regular dos sertóes brasileiros, mas igualmente para a exportacáo, conduzindo-a ao porto de Santos.

Perhaps the most interesting, and certainly the most complicated, of the many activities relating to Brazilian iron ore development are those associated with the Rio Doce Valley. This valley, which lies about 225 miles north of Rio de Janeiro, is a natural corridor from the sea to the rich Itabira ore fields in the state of Minas Gerais. Its value as a possible outlet for Itabira ore was noted as early as the first quarter of the nineteenth century by such figures as Cámara Bittencourt, Intendente General of the Diamantina district and Baron Wiihelm von Eschwege, a minerologist employed by the Portuguese government.

El tema de este ensayo que a primera vista podría parecer carente de interés general, entra, sin embargo, dentro de una órbita cultural sudamericana común, pues la evolución del arte en nuestro hemisferio latino es muy parecida en todos los países que lo integran. Todo el arte sudamericano se encuentra todavía en formación y únicamente Méjico — país que cuenta con una gran tradición indígena-colonial — nos ofrece, y es la primera y la única entre las naciones de América Latina — un panorama artístico original basado en la obra de sus muralistas. Todas las demás, inclusive la Argentina, aún tienen sus posibilidades creativas en gestación. Podemos afirmar sin temor que todo el arte sudamericano se está formando; hasta ahora sólo poseemos obras de arte creadas por las culturas indígenas y por las de la época colonial, época en la que es necesario reconocer que la potencia colonizadora — España — poco se ocupó de las manifestaciones artísticas en general. Salvo casos especiales y en cierto sentido aislados, como por ejemplo la reconstrucción de La Habana, destruida por los ingleses en el siglo XVIII, el gobierno metropolitano descuidó el mejoramiento arquitectónico de sus colonias.

Rapid growth in output of real goods and services and consequent improvement in material standards of living are the pre-eminent goals of economic policy in Latin America. Evidence in support of this conclusion is so commonplace that it need scarcely be cited. It is, however, interesting and informative to look at the reasons why Latin America so ardently desires growth, at her prospects for actual attainment of continual and substantial increases in real output per capital, and at some of the problems which she may encounter along the way. It is the purpose of this paper to summarize and comment upon some of what appear to be the chief motivations to economic development and to juxtapose some of the advantages and obstacles which Latin America is likely to face in her drive for economic growth.

The following study was prepared with the purpose in mind of exposing and clearing up some frequent confusion and misconceptions existing among Latin American experts about fundamental concepts of growth, standards of living, future potentialities, accumulated wealth, as well as inflationary problems in connection with the area's economic development.

There seems to exist some evidence that in the past few years too much has been written and said about Latin American economic development without the benefit of statistical data. Frequently the latter — when used at all — have been misinterpreted and unpleasant data were omitted with a consequent distortion of the truth. Writers in other disciplines have then built on these findings and further distortions of the Latin American picture have resulted. It also has become very fashionable to theorize and perhaps in that process to make up some facts that will fit the theory to be developed, generally the pet project of the investigator.

Las Americas, desde el punto de vista económico, ofrecen en estos momentos el espectáculo de una familia cuyos miembros no se guardaran, entre sí, las debidas consideraciones y que, en consecuencia, atravesara una etapa de crisis, sobre todo potencial.

Habría que agregar que a ninguno de los parientes, en trance de contradicción y distanciamiento, puede convenir el quebrantamiento de la unidad e inteligencia familiar. Ni hoy, ni para mañana y, menos que menos, para pasado mañana.

Así las Americas. La América Latina crepita en la sartén de un desarrollo económico insuficiente, errático, aleatorio. Estados Unidos parece estimar que los problemas económicos existentes en el continente se pueden y deben resolver sobre la marcha, a la manera de incidentes casuísticos que no justificaran, en todo caso, más que alteraciones de pulso o dosificación dentro de un cierto tratamiento establecido.

On November 29, 1947 the United Nations General Assembly, by a vote of 33 in favor, 13 opposed, and 10 abstentions, adopted its fateful resolution recommending the division of Palestine between the Jews and Arabs. In that vote and the debates preceding and following it, the major substantive contributions were made by Latin America. When the partition resolution threatened to flounder on the rocks of United States-Soviet disagreement, Pedro Zuloaga of Venezuela suggested the formation of a subcommittee to resolve these differences. The group did so under the chairmanship of Jorge García Granados of Guatemala. During the entire second Assembly, he and Prof. Enrique Rodriguez Fabregat of Uruguay made the most stirring appeals for Jewish statehood. As president of the Assembly, Brazil's Oswaldo Aranha ruled that the partition recommendation had to be voted on first, before any proposals for delay.

Voici dix ans que travaillent Pierre et Huguette Chaunu. Huit volumes de leur ceuvre gigantesque ont paru. Les deux derniers sont sous presse. lis en forment comme la conclusion. Avant qu'elle ne soit livrée au public, acceptons d'en faire une, provisoire, quitte á la corriger bientót.

Une remarque sur les auteurs, que nous connaissons bien, ce jeune “matrimonio francés” comme Ton disait á Seville; qui les a vus á l'ceuvre sait la puissance de travail, le sens de l'organisation qui les animent, Tun et l'autre. Tous deux de formation historique, ils se sont abreuvés, comme nous, au lendemain de la guerre, aux sources fécondes des Aúnales. Ils ont été les elements jeunes dans cette revolution de la conception et des méthodes historiques qui a caractérisé l'Ecole frangaise depuis trente ans. Disons-le, au risque de paraítre partial dans notre compte-rendu, nous avons nous aussi applaudi a ce mouvement, nous l'avons suivi, nous y avons participé.

The election of Rómulo Betancourt as constitutional President of Venezuela for the 1959-1964 term marks a turning point in that country's political evolution and a high point in the tide of reform now sweeping Latin American toward stable constitutional government. The new president of Venezuela and the party he leads, Acción Democrática, represent the same type of reformist movement as those now flourishing in many other countries of Latin America. As a result, dictatorship in the spring of 1959 is confined to the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. The situation in Haiti is unclear, but in the other sixteen republics the governments are controlled by parties and leaders which are to a greater or lesser degree trying to get away from the past and seem to have the support of their populations in their efforts. This marks a great change from most of the past history of the Latin American Republics in which the population was ruled by dictatorial cliques dedicated to the preservation of a status quo which meant the perpetuation of poverty and backwardness for most of the Latin Americans.